JULY 2018 E-BULLETIN


A message from:

George D. Szigeti
President & CEO
Hawaii Tourism Authority

Aloha mai kakou,

Hawaii’s Global Tourism Summit is taking place October 1-3 at the Hawaii Convention Center and I encourage everyone to attend who wants to have input in tourism’s future. 

Presented by the Hawaii Tourism Authority, the annual Summit is a superb opportunity for anyone – regardless of whether they work in tourism or not – to better understand the benefits, challenges and impact of our largest industry, and how its success affects everyone’s livelihood in Hawaii. 

This is an especially good time to register for the Summit, as the following early-bird discounts are being offered through July 31, along with cost-saving options for groups, students and faculty.

  • Individuals: Full Summit Registration, Oct.1-3: $325, a savings of $100 ($425 after July 31)
  • Group Package (Min. of 8 people): Full Summit Registration, Oct. 1-3: $325 per person, a savings of $100 per individual. (Mix and match different attendees during the conference)
  • Student and Faculty Members: Full Summit Registration, Oct. 1-3: $150
  • Student: 1 Day Summit Registration, $50 (Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday)

Thoughtful, in-depth discussions on the direction we collectively want to see tourism follow – both locally and globally – will be a focus throughout the Summit. 

The importance of sustainable tourism, the significance of cultural tourism, and coping with tourism’s evolving growth worldwide will be addressed. Marketing, innovation, technology, safety and security and how these diverse subjects factor into tourism’s future will also be on the agenda. Plus, there will be lots of opportunities to network and collaborate on new business opportunities.

A special highlight on the opening day, October 1, will be the student debate competition and listening to teams of teens from Hawaii, the mainland and other countries articulate their views about the world of tourism they want to live in. 

On the second day, October 2, attendees will enjoy the pau hana Aloha Reception, especially the delicious cuisine presented by up to 22 restaurants from around the state. 

On October 3, the Summit concludes with the Tourism Legacy Awards Luncheon and the honoring of Ke Au Hawaii: the Year of the Hawaiian, featuring a special tribute to the language, culture and traditions of the Hawaiian people.

We have secured the following excellent keynote speakers – Stephen England-Hall, chief executive of Tourism New Zealand, Chris Malone, managing partner of Fidelum Partners on the topic of “The HUMAN Brand,” Michael Dominguez, senior vice president and chief sales officer for MGM Resorts International, and Susie Vowinkel, Google industry director for travel – who will inspire us to think how tourism can be improved for the benefit of residents, visitors and communities.
Join us at the Global Tourism Summit and make sure your voice is part of the discussion on tourism’s future. Please visit www.GlobalTourismSummitHawaii.com to register and for more information.

With Warmest Aloha,
George D. Szigeti
Submit Proposals by August 3 to Seek
HTA Funding for Programs Supporting
Hawaiian Culture, Natural Resources and Community Events

In June, HTA issued three Request for Proposals for three programs - Kukulu Ola, Aloha Aina and Community Enrichment – each of which are designed to help improve Hawaii’s quality of life for residents while also enhancing the visitor experience.

Interested applicants can download the RFPs from HTA’s website . The deadline to submit proposals to HTA seeking funding support from any of the three program categories is Friday, August 3, 2018, at 4:30 p.m. HST.

Hawaii’s Own Guitar Tradition
Sweet, soulful and rascally playful, slack-key guitar is a Hawaiian art form admired by many.

Spanish and Mexican cowboys brought the first guitars to Hawaii in the early 1800s. Much like they did when learning cowboy techniques, the paniolo (Hawaiian cowboys) developed a music style of their own while tuning the guitar. The varied tunings of slackened guitar strings in slack-key-style playing make unique sounds, allowing skilled musicians to play bass, rhythm and melody all on one instrument. Some slack-key techniques mimic harmonies and vocal qualities of Hawaiian music rooted in ancient chants.

The paniolo also started a tradition of evening music enjoyment, called pau hana (after work) jam sessions, which continues today.

You can hear Hawaii’s finest slack-key guitarists at the 36th annual Hawaiian Slack Key Guitar Festival: Waikiki Style, happening August 11 from noon to 6 p.m. at the Waikiki Aquarium. HTA is proud to support this event through its Community Enrichment Program. Visit SlackKeyFestival.com for more information.
Duke’s OceanFest Celebrates Waikiki’s
Surfing Heritage
Long before Waikiki Beach was a mecca of fun in the sun for travelers from around the world, surfing was one of the area’s main attractions for both chiefs and commoners. Surfing royalty built homes steps away from the ocean and a major heiau (temple) was dedicated to Waikiki’s surf and its wave riders.

Duke Kahanamoku, perhaps the best known of Waikiki’s pioneering surfers, was born on August 24, 1890, to a large family. Raised in Waikiki, he was a three-time Olympic gold medalist, master waterman, actor and a founding member of the original Waikiki Beach Boys.

Each year, the Outrigger Duke Kahanamoku Foundation honors his birthday with Duke’s OceanFest, a weeklong competition of water and beach activities in Waikiki that also includes a special ceremony at his statue alongside Kalakaua Avenue, Waikiki’s main thoroughfare.
HTA is a proud sponsor of Duke’s OceanFest in perpetuation of Hawaii’s surfing heritage. For more information about this year’s festivities, set for August 18 to 26, visit dukesoceanfest.com.
Hawaii, Island of Fire and Ice
Poliahu is the Hawaiian goddess of snow. Her domain is the summit of Maunakea volcano on the island of Hawaii, embraced in clouds and mist, feeding springs and streams. She is known to take human form to enjoy her favorite sport holua, sledding down the slopes of her mountain at great speed.
Another holua enthusiast is Pele, goddess of volcanic fire. Her domain, Kilauea volcano in the southeastern portion of the island, is marked by the fiery birth of new land. The various forms Pele appears in include a beautiful maiden. It was in this form that she challenged Poliahu to a holua race.
They climbed to the top of the holua track on Maunakea and rushed downslope toward the sea. As the race intensified, the ground below the track began to heat up. When Poliahu inched ahead, Pele’s frustration got the best of her. Fountains of fire erupted, rushing through long-empty caverns.

The island quaked as the battle raged on. As Pele sent streams of molten lava down the side of Maunakea, Poliahu followed with her snow, chilling and hardening the rivers of fire as they stretched to the ocean.

Poliahu ultimately succeeded in pushing Pele’s fire back into the depths of the island. Maunakea and the majority of landscapes on Hawaii Island have since remained free of volcanic activity while Pele continues to grow the southeastern Puna district of the island with her volcanic fires.
Focus on Safety and Security
On June 26, HTA Director of Marketing Jadie Goo participated in the State of Hawaii's Drowning and Aquatic Injury Prevention Advisory Committee meeting.

Topics discussed in the meeting included the state’s Ocean Safety Summer Campaign, Drowning Prevention Week and 2018-20 Strategic Plan development. Updates were also provided by the snorkeling, policy and keiki water safety subcommittees.
Developing the Future Workforce
HTA Tourism Brand Manager Laci Goshi was invited to Aiea Intermediate School’s 2018 Career Day where she gave an insightful presentation on Hawaii's tourism industry to 75 students. Laci also shared information about HTA and its role in the community managing the destination and marketing the Hawaiian Islands across the globe. She encouraged the students to consider career opportunities in hospitality.

We Share Hawaii Launches Second Season
We Share Hawaii (WSH), a community-driven platform encouraging conversations about everything that makes Hawaii special and supporting the Islands’ diverse and unique culture, recently added 50 new curators to its mobile app.

On July 10, WSH launched its second series of Facebook Live shows featuring Collin Darrell, operations director of Anaina Hou Community Center on Kauai. Click here to view the series.

The We Share Hawaii app is available on iTunes for iOS and Google Play for Android. Find the latest WSH updates on Facebook and on Instagram at @WeShareHawaii.
HTA-Supported Events
Aug. 18-26

Sept. 7-Oct. 13

Kauai

Aug. 3-4

Aug. 4-5

Island of Hawaii

Aug. 30-Sept. 3

Sept. 7-15

Island of Hawaii Recovery Campaign in Japan

In response to Kilauea volcano’s eruption and continuing lava flow in lower Puna on the island of Hawaii, Hawaii Tourism Japan (HTJ) launched a three-phase plan to encourage bookings and boost travel demand for the destination. The first phase, beginning immediately after the initial eruption on May 3, involved communicating with Japan travel partners on a continuous basis about the situation and providing them with information clarifying that the lava flow was limited to a small part of the island.

The second phase incorporated the launch of promotional campaigns in different markets throughout June to help drive consumer bookings, while also educating media about the limited extent of the eruption activity in relation to the rest of the island. HTJ used a variety of images to showcase the diversity of activities to enjoy on the island.
The third phase, which is currently ongoing, is focusing on co-op initiatives to promote travel to the island of Hawaii at various events in Japan with wholesale and airline partners, including Hawaiian Airlines and Japan Airlines – the two carriers offering nonstop flights from Japan to Kona.
FAM Showcases Kauai and Island of Hawaii

HTJ and Hawaiian Airlines collaborated to host a weeklong familiarization tour by 14 representatives of major travel agencies serving the Japan market, from June 26 to July 1. The agents experienced firsthand what makes Kauai and the island of Hawaii such appealing destinations for Japan travelers.
Industry partners from each island gave presentations to the group and pitched potential ideas on their products. Ample support from the Kauai Visitors Bureau and Island of Hawaii Visitors Bureau thoroughly showcased each island.
The participating travel agencies – all influential in creating Hawaii products – will use knowledge they gained on the FAM to assist in the development of future travel packages to the Hawaiian Islands.
National Media Interviews Clarify
Kilauea Situation
To help alleviate travelers’ concerns about Kilauea volcano and visiting the island of Hawaii, the Hawaii Tourism United States (HTUSA) hosted a satellite media tour from Hilo featuring interviews by 31 TV and radio stations nationwide.

Dr. Ken Hon, geologist and volcanologist at the University of Hawaii at Hilo, conducted the interviews over a six-hour period at the Imiloa Astronomy Center to provide these media outlets and their audiences with accurate information about Kilauea’s eruptions, that the affected area was very limited in scope, and to reassure viewers nationwide that travel to the island of Hawaii was safe.

With support provided by the Island of Hawaii Visitors Bureau, the national media outreach was a great success. More than 11.3 million households were reached in major markets nationwide, including Chicago, Illinois; San Diego, California; Tucson, Arizona; Las Vegas, Nevada; and Portland, Oregon.
Aloha Night at New York Botanical Garden

In collaboration with the New York Botanical Garden (NYBG), HTUSA partnered on the Aloha Night programs on June 9 and 16 highlighting the exhibit, “Georgia O’Keefe: Visions of Hawaii.” HTUSA provided logistical support to showcase the islands, including
Hawaii-inspired cocktails, cuisine and musical performances from Hawaii contemporary artist Izik Moreno.

HTUSA also assisted with NYBG’s June 16 Aloha Media Night, providing lei and on-site support during the event’s reception at Grand Hyatt New York, which included a special tour of the exhibit.
Hawaii-themed fashion and design is being celebrated at the NYBG Fashion Weekend, July 28-29. Helping to generate buzz and excitement leading up to this display of Hawaii fashion was the custom gown for actress and NYBG board member Sigourney Weaver that designer Manaola Yap created for her to wear at the NYBG Conservatory Ball on June 7.

Weaver’s appearance in the couture dress was picked up on the celebrity news circuit and by local media outlets, which reported on Yap’s opportunity as well as HTUSA’s partnership with NYBG.
“Georgia O’Keeffe: Visions of Hawaii” Exhibit Promoted in German Magazine

The Hawaiian Islands were featured in a recent three-page feature dedicated to the New York Botanical Garden’s “Georgia O’Keeffe: Visions of Hawaii” exhibit published by German magazine America Journal. Hawaii Tourism Europe (HTE) assisted with the story. America Journal is a consumer travel magazine featuring key United States topics. It has a circulation of 35,240.
Coco ‘Nuts and Bolts Events Promote Hawaii in the Pacific Northwest

The Pacific Northwest Ohana, a collection of Hawaii suppliers promoting travel to the Islands, held its 2018 Coco ‘Nuts and Bolts Bash events in Seattle, Washington, and Portland, Oregon, from June 20-21. Attendees included 75 agents based in Seattle, 90 agents based in Portland, and 24 participating Hawaii suppliers and partners.
The events included a lei greeting, live Hawaiian music and hula, a trade show, dinner and presentations from the Pacific Northwest Ohana and HTUSA. In addition, HTUSA held a seminar for 26 travel agents in Portland.
Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom Promotion Roars in Western Canada

Hawaii Tourism Canada (HTCAN) is leveraging the big screen release of the
action-adventure sequel Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom to promote the Hawaiian Islands, screening a 30-second Hawaii ad on more than 80 movie screens in western Canada.
The ad features stunning video clips of Hawaii locations connected to the Jurassic film series and teases audiences that Hawaii is the filming location for “all of their favorite dinosaur movies.”
Canadian Travel Agents Designate Hawaii as Favorite Honeymoon Destination 

The Hawaiian Islands were honored with the designation of Favorite Honeymoon Destination by Canadian travel agents at the First Annual Agents’ Choice Gala, presented by Baxter Media in Canada. The accolade reinforces HTCAN’s focus on reaching the romance segment of Canadian travelers and showcasing Hawaii's appeal to couples. 
Australian TV Program The Living Room Visits Oahu and Kauai

In April, Hawaii Tourism Oceania (HTO) brought the four celebrity hosts of the
award-winning Australian lifestyle series The Living Room to Oahu and Kauai to film a Hawaii-exclusive episode, as well as to produce additional content for a second program spotlighting the Islands. Hawaiian Airlines and Hilton Hawaiian Village were also instrumental in bringing the production to Hawaii.
The series’ Hawaii episodes were broadcast on June 1 and 15, alongside a three-week Hawaii holiday promotion awarding an all-expenses-paid trip to the Islands for a family of four. Airing Friday evenings on Australia’s Network Ten, The Living Room draws consistently solid audience ratings; in particular, among the in-demand demographic of females ages 28 to 45. 

Hawaii episodes of The Living Room, as well as publicity surrounding the programs, reached more than 1.2 million people in Australia. In addition, the Hawaii holiday promotion drew a record 89,611 entries, with 23,800 entrants opting in to receive information on the Hawaiian Islands from HTO.
Experience Aloha Business Exchange FAM Tours Hosted on Hawaii Island

In June, HTA’s Global MCI team organized the second annual Experience Aloha Business Exchange (EABE) industry trade show on Oahu and additional post-show familiarization tours on the island of Hawaii.

As part of the trade show, Hawaii Tourism Korea’s (HTK) MCI team conducted an EABE FAM tour in collaboration with travel services company Mode Tour. Ten corporate clients visited Oahu and the island of Hawaii, touring MCI facilities and experiencing activities for groups. The MCI decision makers enjoyed their multi-island experience and were especially impressed by the FAM’s productive business meetings and presentations, which included partners from multiple hotels, restaurants, shopping malls and attractions in Hawaii.
To encourage more Hong Kong MCI travel to the Hawaiian Islands, Hawaii Tourism Hong Kong (HTHK) invited MCI agents from Jetour Travel, Towa Tours and Reception Expert to participate in EABE and discuss opportunities on Oahu and the island of Hawaii.
Hawaii Tourism Southeast Asia (HTSEA) brought five delegates from Southeast Asia to EABE, providing them opportunities to interact with local industry partners and inspect multiple venues for team building activities on both islands.
HTK Partners with High-End Travel Agency for Hawaii Promotion

Hawaii Tourism Korea (HTK) collaborated with high-end online travel agency Evasion on a Hawaii hotel promotion from June 18 to July 1 that included partnerships with four luxury resorts: Andaz Maui at Wailea Resort, Trump International Hotel Waikiki, The Kahala Hotel and Resort, and Hyatt Regency Maui Resort and Spa.

The initiative was promoted extensively by email blasts, social media posts and press releases, generating more than 80,000 website clicks and a significant increase in room night sales for each property compared to previous year figures.
Hawaii Little Astronomer Contest Gives Away Big Prize on Guangzhou TV

Hawaii Tourism China’s (HTC) Hawaii Little Astronomer contest ended with a final event broadcasted to more than a million Guangzhou TV viewers on June 9 and 10. The contest grand prize was a stargazing tour package in Hawaii, awarded to the family entering the most outstanding do-it-yourself telescope, as voted on by a panel of judges.
Out of the thousand-plus telescope entries received, 30 students and their families were placed on a shortlist to display and introduce their uniquely handcrafted telescope on the TV broadcast.
As a result of the contest, Hawaii stargazing travel packages have been gaining ground with travel consumers in Southern China. Four groups are already scheduled to visit the island of Hawaii for stargazing tours in July and August.
HTC Promotes Hawaii Travel at 2018 Hangzhou Ukulele Festival

On May 20, HTC participated in the 2018 Hangzhou Ukulele Festival to promote Hawaiian culture in China and entice the country’s abundance of ukulele lovers to visit Hawaii. The more than 1,000 ukulele enthusiasts attending enjoyed performances by 30 professional ukulele bands and hula dancers.
During the event, HTC partnered with one of Hangzhou’s top travel agencies, Zhejiang CYTS, to promote island of Hawaii summer travel packages. More than 50 families have expressed interest in CYTS Hawaii travel products thus far.
Co-op Features Oahu Vacation Spots

Hawaii Tourism Taiwan worked with Nancy Tsai, one of Taiwan’s leading fashion vloggers, to showcase Oahu's natural beauty and fun activities on her social media platforms. Tsai, an influential vlogger specializing in fashion and cosmetics, has 155,000 Facebook followers and 105,000 YouTube subscribers.
Oahu attractions and partners featured by Tsai in her video blog included Leahi (aka Diamond Head State Monument), Turtle Bay Resort, Prince Waikiki, Four Seasons Resort Oahu at Ko Olina, Halekulani, Giovanni’s Shrimp Truck and Monkeypod Kitchen. By early July, Tsai’s video blog had received more than 14,000 views on YouTube.
Green Dreams FAM for Hong Kong Media Focuses On Sustainable Tourism

HTHK conducted a multi-island familiarization trip in June for media representing Hong Kong-based publications U Magazine, Eat and Travel Weekly and Sing Tao Daily. Themed “Green Dreams,” the seven-day sustainable tourism-focused FAM included explorations of Oahu and Maui. The media group participated in several eco-tourism experiences, including farm and agricultural tours, and visited local communities whose stories they will share with readers.
Hawaii MCI Business Promoted in Thailand
HTSEA attended the 8th International Congress of the Asian Society of Toxicology (ASIATOX) in Pattaya, Thailand, from June 17-20, to help drive MCI business for Hawaii. With more than 300 delegates from the Asia-Pacific, Central Asia and Middle East regions in attendance at ASIATOX, HTSEA promoted the Hawaiian Islands as a world-class destination for conferences and a gateway for leisure trips. The team also shared information on the current Kilauea volcano eruption with attendees.
HTE Attends Visit USA Media Marketplace to Meet with Journalists

HTE recently attended the Visit USA Media Marketplace held in the United Kingdom, meeting with top freelance journalists, editors, trade publications and bloggers to discuss editorial opportunities for the Hawaiian Islands. The HTE team highlighted Hawaii’s attributes as a travel destination and unique travel experiences offered on its six visitable islands.

Trade publications the team met with included Travel Daily and Travel Weekly. Freelance journalists HTE talked to contribute to a number of publications, including Trinity Mirror, The Sunday Telegraph, Luxury Travel Magazine, National Geographic Traveller and The Observer.
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